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A Letter to My Mom
Including letters from Melissa Rivers, Shania Twain, will.i.am, Christy Turlington, and Kristin Chenoweth
Just in time for Mother's Day, the next book in the A Letter to My series (after A Letter to My Dog and A Letter to My Cat ) takes on mothers, with celebrities and civilians writing letters of gratitude and admiration to the women who raised them, alongside gorgeous, intimate photos.
Just in time for Mother's Day, the next book in the A Letter to My series (after A Letter to My Dog and A Letter to My Cat ) takes on mothers, with celebrities and civilians writing letters of gratitude and admiration to the women who raised them, alongside gorgeous, intimate photos.
- GenresNonfiction
160 pages, Hardcover
First published April 7, 2015
6 people are currently reading
115 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Erspamer
6 books4 followersLisa Erspamer is the president of Unleashed Media, a multimedia production company. Previously, Lisa served as chief creative officer and executive vice president of programming and development for OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network, as well as co-executive producer at The Oprah Winfrey Show. Throughout her career, she has produced thousands of hours of television. The creator of the A Letter to My... series, which includes A Letter to My Mom, A Letter to My Dog and A Letter to My Cat, she lives in Los Angeles with her beloved dogs, Lily and Grace, and is at work on the next book in the series.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 4, 2015
This is such a sweet book, some of the letters are from famous people, some from ordinary, but all of them are stuffed with heartfelt feelings. I really wish I had taken the time to write to my mother before she passed. Some of the authors, weren't lucky enoough to have their mothers around to read their tribute and those hit me the most. My favorite was ChristyTurlington Burns and her comment that ". . . once you are a mother, you are a mother for the rest of your days". That is so true. If you are looking for a wonderful gift for a mother, this is a perfect choice.
December 19, 2017
'A Letter to My Mom' compiled by Lisa Erspamer is a collection of letters and photos to celebrate mothers.
The letters are from celebrities, like Melissa Rivers and Shania Twain, and non-celebrities. The mothers celebrated are alive and only alive in memory. There are conventional and non-conventional mothers. The families seem to vary. What doesn't seem to vary is the affection and admiration of the writers. Words like sacrifice and protection and support are among the many found.
Also included with most of the letters are photos of mothers and children, then and now.
It's a beautiful and inspiring collection of letters. Some letters made me laugh and quite few brought a tear to my eye. I enjoyed reading this collection.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Crown Publshing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
The letters are from celebrities, like Melissa Rivers and Shania Twain, and non-celebrities. The mothers celebrated are alive and only alive in memory. There are conventional and non-conventional mothers. The families seem to vary. What doesn't seem to vary is the affection and admiration of the writers. Words like sacrifice and protection and support are among the many found.
Also included with most of the letters are photos of mothers and children, then and now.
It's a beautiful and inspiring collection of letters. Some letters made me laugh and quite few brought a tear to my eye. I enjoyed reading this collection.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Crown Publshing and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
May 3, 2015
"Sent from my heart" - will.i.am
(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review through Blogging for Books.)
The third book in Lisa Erspamer's "letter" series (previous titles include A Letter to My Dog and A Letter to My Cat), A Letter to My Mom is a sweet and touching (and timely, with Mother's Day just around the corner!) collection of letters from children to their mothers.
What first struck me about the collection is its diversity. There are a fair number of celebrity pairings, yes, but also quite a few letters written by regular folks too. There are letters from children as well as adults; groups of siblings as well as single letter-writers; women and men, girls and boys; adopted as well as biological children; letters addressed to elderly parents as well as middle-aged parents; even a handful written to mothers who have since passed on.
Happily, there's also a fair amount of racial diversity; while many of the faces are white, there are also Korean, Latina, African-American, Chinese, Indian, Jewish, and Taiwanese mothers and daughters. Some of the most touching letters are from second-generation American immigrants whose mothers left their homelands to pursue the American Dream and give their kids a better life. Trish Broome - the product of a now-failed marriage between a Korean mother and American GI father who met during the Vietnam War - writes of the many sacrifices her mother, Bok Ja Smith, made for her family:
Among the celebrity contributors - Kristen Chenoweth, Cat Cora, Sarah Ferguson, Josh Groban, Mariel Hemingway, Ali Landry, Monica Lewinsky, Lisa Ling, Dr. Phil, Robin Meade, Kelly Osbourne, Melissa Rivers, Molly Sims, Shania Twain, will.i.am, and Ginger Zee - is Jennifer Arnold, one half of TLC's The Little Couple. When she failed to grow and thrive in infancy, her mother was erroneously accused of starving her. She writes of how her mother became her champion and advocate, traveling the country to obtain medical treatment, staying by her bedside summer after summer, as her vacations were dominated by painful surgeries.
Many of the more exceptional letters come from "regular" people. There's Patricia Brooks, who rescued her girls from their physically and sexually abusive stepfather; they fled from their home in the dead of the night, carrying little more than the clothes on their backs. They were fortunate enough to land the last spot in a pilot program that provided temporary housing for women and children on one floor of the President Hotel in Manhattan. (Today, they might have been able to bring Tinkerbell the cat too, as more and more women's shelters recognize the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, and honor the human-animal bond in their work.)
Sonia Kang's parents were an interracial couple struggling against bigotry and hatred in the aftermath of Loving vs. Virginia; as a child, their biracial daughter grappled with the feeling of not-belonging to either world: "When I called crying saying I'm not Black enough or Latina enough, you comforted me from miles away and you told me that I was enough. And I believed you."
While there's no shortage of tearjerkers here, some of the letters are absolutely agonizing. Lisa Hirsch's letter is to her mom Ruth Elian, who suffers from Alzheimer's and only occasionally recognizes her. And Susan Nirah Jaffee remembers helping her mother transition during her last month on Earth; what she thought might be a form of "reverse labor" became a "rebirth" for Jaffee, as the experience granted her a new appreciation for life, in all its abbreviated beauty: "Every minute I spent with you, right through the very moment you crossed over, I grew – not in cells and tissues and organs, but in character and spirit and purpose. Although your body was winding down, your soul was blossoming."
So many of these moms are pioneers, trailblazers, and superheroes. To at least one person, anyway.
Yet it's all too easy to idolize certain maternal characteristics while stripping away all else that makes moms human; putting mothers on a pedestal and romanticizing a thankless job while continuing, as a society, to devalue it.
A Letter to My Mom challenges this cultural tendency; along with largely favorable (yet humanizing) letters are the few odd negatives. Suze Orman's letter to her mother Ann, for example, damn near broke my heart. Orman reports that, after she came out, her mom stopped saying the three little words every kid needs to hear - "I love you" - even as she appeared outwardly to be okay with Orman's sexual orientation. And then there's the letter from Tejal Patel, which hints at emotional and physical abuse.
Aesthetically, the book is lovely, with glossy, colorful pages and tons of snapshots of the mothers - both solo, and in candid moments with their children. There's even a page, styled like stationary, for you to pen a letter to your own mom should you wish.
Naturally, this would be a wonderful gift for moms - for Mother's Day, of course, but also birthdays, Christmas, even Valentine's Day. Or just because.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2015/05/10/...
(Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this book for review through Blogging for Books.)
The third book in Lisa Erspamer's "letter" series (previous titles include A Letter to My Dog and A Letter to My Cat), A Letter to My Mom is a sweet and touching (and timely, with Mother's Day just around the corner!) collection of letters from children to their mothers.
What first struck me about the collection is its diversity. There are a fair number of celebrity pairings, yes, but also quite a few letters written by regular folks too. There are letters from children as well as adults; groups of siblings as well as single letter-writers; women and men, girls and boys; adopted as well as biological children; letters addressed to elderly parents as well as middle-aged parents; even a handful written to mothers who have since passed on.
Happily, there's also a fair amount of racial diversity; while many of the faces are white, there are also Korean, Latina, African-American, Chinese, Indian, Jewish, and Taiwanese mothers and daughters. Some of the most touching letters are from second-generation American immigrants whose mothers left their homelands to pursue the American Dream and give their kids a better life. Trish Broome - the product of a now-failed marriage between a Korean mother and American GI father who met during the Vietnam War - writes of the many sacrifices her mother, Bok Ja Smith, made for her family:
My back, which rests comfortably against an office chair every day, has never felt over 60 years of hard labor like yours. It didn't have to stand tall as customers walked through a flea market store, or bend over machines in factories. It hasn't endured years of carrying laundry baskets or helping children move boxes to and from college.
It does, however, have a Korean tiger tattoo on it that represents strength, and it represents you.
Among the celebrity contributors - Kristen Chenoweth, Cat Cora, Sarah Ferguson, Josh Groban, Mariel Hemingway, Ali Landry, Monica Lewinsky, Lisa Ling, Dr. Phil, Robin Meade, Kelly Osbourne, Melissa Rivers, Molly Sims, Shania Twain, will.i.am, and Ginger Zee - is Jennifer Arnold, one half of TLC's The Little Couple. When she failed to grow and thrive in infancy, her mother was erroneously accused of starving her. She writes of how her mother became her champion and advocate, traveling the country to obtain medical treatment, staying by her bedside summer after summer, as her vacations were dominated by painful surgeries.
Many of the more exceptional letters come from "regular" people. There's Patricia Brooks, who rescued her girls from their physically and sexually abusive stepfather; they fled from their home in the dead of the night, carrying little more than the clothes on their backs. They were fortunate enough to land the last spot in a pilot program that provided temporary housing for women and children on one floor of the President Hotel in Manhattan. (Today, they might have been able to bring Tinkerbell the cat too, as more and more women's shelters recognize the link between domestic violence and animal abuse, and honor the human-animal bond in their work.)
Sonia Kang's parents were an interracial couple struggling against bigotry and hatred in the aftermath of Loving vs. Virginia; as a child, their biracial daughter grappled with the feeling of not-belonging to either world: "When I called crying saying I'm not Black enough or Latina enough, you comforted me from miles away and you told me that I was enough. And I believed you."
While there's no shortage of tearjerkers here, some of the letters are absolutely agonizing. Lisa Hirsch's letter is to her mom Ruth Elian, who suffers from Alzheimer's and only occasionally recognizes her. And Susan Nirah Jaffee remembers helping her mother transition during her last month on Earth; what she thought might be a form of "reverse labor" became a "rebirth" for Jaffee, as the experience granted her a new appreciation for life, in all its abbreviated beauty: "Every minute I spent with you, right through the very moment you crossed over, I grew – not in cells and tissues and organs, but in character and spirit and purpose. Although your body was winding down, your soul was blossoming."
So many of these moms are pioneers, trailblazers, and superheroes. To at least one person, anyway.
Yet it's all too easy to idolize certain maternal characteristics while stripping away all else that makes moms human; putting mothers on a pedestal and romanticizing a thankless job while continuing, as a society, to devalue it.
A Letter to My Mom challenges this cultural tendency; along with largely favorable (yet humanizing) letters are the few odd negatives. Suze Orman's letter to her mother Ann, for example, damn near broke my heart. Orman reports that, after she came out, her mom stopped saying the three little words every kid needs to hear - "I love you" - even as she appeared outwardly to be okay with Orman's sexual orientation. And then there's the letter from Tejal Patel, which hints at emotional and physical abuse.
Aesthetically, the book is lovely, with glossy, colorful pages and tons of snapshots of the mothers - both solo, and in candid moments with their children. There's even a page, styled like stationary, for you to pen a letter to your own mom should you wish.
Naturally, this would be a wonderful gift for moms - for Mother's Day, of course, but also birthdays, Christmas, even Valentine's Day. Or just because.
http://www.easyvegan.info/2015/05/10/...
May 10, 2015
Lisa Erspamer collected letters from all over the world to include in this beautiful dedication to that very special person in our lives, our Mums.
As you might expect from such an anthology, the Mothers represent a huge cross section, from the mothers of famous children, Melissa Rivers, Shania Twain, will.i.am, Christy Turlington, and Kristin Chenoweth, to the woman you could find on any street in any country. Some are flowery and long, others down to earth and short. Without fail, the thanks and gratitude expressed are sincere.
The author’s own letter to her mother begins “Mom as I’ve been curating this book, I have thought a lot about you, our relationship and all the things I have probably never said to you … like, thank you.” She then thanks her mother for bringing her into the world, for brushing her hair until she fell asleep, for birthday cakes and scaring away the monsters hiding under the bed.
Jennifer L Arnold was born with skeletal dysplasia and says to her Mother Judy, “It wasn’t just your devotion to my health and education, but also your attention to the little things, that shaped me into a self-confident, happy and healthy person today.”
Michele Tracy Berger thanks her mother Patricia Brooks for being brave enough to pick up her two daughters and leave behind the abusive “Oscar Daddy” in the autumn of 1977. They became guinea pigs in a new social services programme to house abused women and their children for a six months period. “Watching you create a new life from almost nothing except your wits, taught me the power of creativity and risk taking.”
Liam Courtney, aged 9 simply says, “I’m your biggest fan”.
Then there is the letter from Cat Cora to Dear Mo, the nickname her mother chose to use after she changed her name from Cathy to Cat. “I wanted to start by saying thank you for adopting me. My birth Mom Joanne gave me life and you gave me a home …. And at the low discount price of $350 you paid to adopt me in 1967, you got a hell of a deal”.
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, wrote a letter to her mother in which she thanks her but also says she forgives her for leaving for Argentina with her new husband. “I look back now and thank you, forgive you and love you more. You gave me the strength to look at life differently.”
I enjoyed a giggle with Luis Guitart who writes to her deceased mother “I am not positive how heaven works. Everyone tells me you are watching down on me, but let’s face it, if heaven really is a perfect place, you’re probably watching your telenovelas. Better yet, running down the sidelines of a soccer game, yelling in Spanish with nobody understanding a single thing you say. Yeah that sounds more like your kind of heaven.”
There are so many beautiful letters included in this anthology; I could share another dozen with you and still have another dozen I would love to include. I can’t imagine how Lisa and her team made their choices, because even with a reduced number I found it difficult to find a favourite or favourites.
Whether the mothers were educated, beautiful, (sometimes both), rich or poor, their sons and daughters looked to them for guidance, then and now. Some confess “we had our moments”, others that they had to grow up and become parents themselves before they appreciated all they learned. “At that time I didn’t understand your wisdom and generosity”. “I wonder if you knew your unconditional love and strength would finally be noticed and appreciated.”
This is a book I’ll jump into occasionally, reading some inspirational stories of amazing Mothers and enjoying their shared photos. Thank you Crown Publishing, via NetGalley, for my ARC. This review is published at this link http://bit.ly/1JzA8QC.
As you might expect from such an anthology, the Mothers represent a huge cross section, from the mothers of famous children, Melissa Rivers, Shania Twain, will.i.am, Christy Turlington, and Kristin Chenoweth, to the woman you could find on any street in any country. Some are flowery and long, others down to earth and short. Without fail, the thanks and gratitude expressed are sincere.
The author’s own letter to her mother begins “Mom as I’ve been curating this book, I have thought a lot about you, our relationship and all the things I have probably never said to you … like, thank you.” She then thanks her mother for bringing her into the world, for brushing her hair until she fell asleep, for birthday cakes and scaring away the monsters hiding under the bed.
Jennifer L Arnold was born with skeletal dysplasia and says to her Mother Judy, “It wasn’t just your devotion to my health and education, but also your attention to the little things, that shaped me into a self-confident, happy and healthy person today.”
Michele Tracy Berger thanks her mother Patricia Brooks for being brave enough to pick up her two daughters and leave behind the abusive “Oscar Daddy” in the autumn of 1977. They became guinea pigs in a new social services programme to house abused women and their children for a six months period. “Watching you create a new life from almost nothing except your wits, taught me the power of creativity and risk taking.”
Liam Courtney, aged 9 simply says, “I’m your biggest fan”.
Then there is the letter from Cat Cora to Dear Mo, the nickname her mother chose to use after she changed her name from Cathy to Cat. “I wanted to start by saying thank you for adopting me. My birth Mom Joanne gave me life and you gave me a home …. And at the low discount price of $350 you paid to adopt me in 1967, you got a hell of a deal”.
Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, wrote a letter to her mother in which she thanks her but also says she forgives her for leaving for Argentina with her new husband. “I look back now and thank you, forgive you and love you more. You gave me the strength to look at life differently.”
I enjoyed a giggle with Luis Guitart who writes to her deceased mother “I am not positive how heaven works. Everyone tells me you are watching down on me, but let’s face it, if heaven really is a perfect place, you’re probably watching your telenovelas. Better yet, running down the sidelines of a soccer game, yelling in Spanish with nobody understanding a single thing you say. Yeah that sounds more like your kind of heaven.”
There are so many beautiful letters included in this anthology; I could share another dozen with you and still have another dozen I would love to include. I can’t imagine how Lisa and her team made their choices, because even with a reduced number I found it difficult to find a favourite or favourites.
Whether the mothers were educated, beautiful, (sometimes both), rich or poor, their sons and daughters looked to them for guidance, then and now. Some confess “we had our moments”, others that they had to grow up and become parents themselves before they appreciated all they learned. “At that time I didn’t understand your wisdom and generosity”. “I wonder if you knew your unconditional love and strength would finally be noticed and appreciated.”
This is a book I’ll jump into occasionally, reading some inspirational stories of amazing Mothers and enjoying their shared photos. Thank you Crown Publishing, via NetGalley, for my ARC. This review is published at this link http://bit.ly/1JzA8QC.
March 8, 2021
Me before reading this book: "Oh a book of letters I love letters. Easy read."
Me 30 pages in: "Mommy!"
This was not an easy read at all. I have to admit that even though a part of me figured it might be a quick and "easy read;" a bigger part of me knew completely that at least half of these letters would break me.
Honestly; that might have been a part of the appeal.
I love the idea of writing letters and just putting yourself out there. Even if you don't share them with the person they're meant for.
(Even if you share them with everyone else except the person they're meant for, although that's probably just me.)
It takes a lot to write even a short letter, to just say everything you want to say and get all that you're feeling on paper. And you can never say every thing that you'd like.
That being said; I have to admire all these letter writers for trying and succeeding in putting so much of themselves into their letters and sharing their love for their mothers.
This book is inspiring in so many ways, that I wouldn't even know where to begin. It gives so much to the readers... much like the mothers of all these writers.
Me 30 pages in: "Mommy!"
This was not an easy read at all. I have to admit that even though a part of me figured it might be a quick and "easy read;" a bigger part of me knew completely that at least half of these letters would break me.
Honestly; that might have been a part of the appeal.
I love the idea of writing letters and just putting yourself out there. Even if you don't share them with the person they're meant for.
(Even if you share them with everyone else except the person they're meant for, although that's probably just me.)
It takes a lot to write even a short letter, to just say everything you want to say and get all that you're feeling on paper. And you can never say every thing that you'd like.
That being said; I have to admire all these letter writers for trying and succeeding in putting so much of themselves into their letters and sharing their love for their mothers.
This book is inspiring in so many ways, that I wouldn't even know where to begin. It gives so much to the readers... much like the mothers of all these writers.
September 12, 2018
Oh my gosh- I cried. These stories shared by a collection of famous authors is so inspiring and heartwarming you'll treasure this and share it with your mom, or any mom you care about.
The colorful pages distracted from the readability and the text type and font were small and not as bold as I would have preferred, but don't let that discount the caliber of the words.
The colorful pages distracted from the readability and the text type and font were small and not as bold as I would have preferred, but don't let that discount the caliber of the words.
May 15, 2015
In honor of Mother’s Day, I chose to read and review A Letter to My Mom, created by Lisa Erspamer. A Letter to My Mom is a compilation of letters written by people from all walks of life, portraying the intimate, unique relationships we have with our Moms. A Letter to My Mom is the third book in her series (following A Letter to My Dog and A Letter to My Cat), where contributors share letters showing love, devotion, gratitude, conflict, anger, hardship and memories with the women who help shape them into the people they become and the people they call mom.
I found A Letter to My Mom to be an awesome book, an easy read, heartwarming, and touching. At times I felt like I was secretly reading someone’s secret or private letters, which gave the book a intriguing touch. I enjoyed how the letters were written by all sorts of people, both famous and non-famous, and the book gave short bios of each writer at the back of the book, which made each letter that much more personal.
Losing my mother at eighteen to suicide, this book hit many personal notes, and I found myself tearing up at times while reading and reflecting on my own relationship I had with my mom.
Check out the the book’s website and blog at www.alettertomymom.com
This would be a great gift to a Mom, Daughter, or any important woman in your life on Mother’s Day or just because.
I received a copy of A Letter to My Mom from Blogging for Books for my honest review of the book.
I found A Letter to My Mom to be an awesome book, an easy read, heartwarming, and touching. At times I felt like I was secretly reading someone’s secret or private letters, which gave the book a intriguing touch. I enjoyed how the letters were written by all sorts of people, both famous and non-famous, and the book gave short bios of each writer at the back of the book, which made each letter that much more personal.
Losing my mother at eighteen to suicide, this book hit many personal notes, and I found myself tearing up at times while reading and reflecting on my own relationship I had with my mom.
Check out the the book’s website and blog at www.alettertomymom.com
This would be a great gift to a Mom, Daughter, or any important woman in your life on Mother’s Day or just because.
I received a copy of A Letter to My Mom from Blogging for Books for my honest review of the book.
June 15, 2015
This is the first Non Fiction book that I have reviewed. It was a very sweet and touching book. This isn't one that I would normally pick out for myself so I am glad to have received it!
I love that the contributors for this book are all different ages; some famous and some not. My favorite letter was actually by will.i.am. It was so sweet and worded perfectly that I wanted to copy it and send it to my mom! I could have gone through this book with a highlighter and marked everything I have ever wanted to tell my mom. As a matter of fact, this would be a great gift for the mother in your life.
At the end of the book there are short bios of each person that contributed to this book. By reading their letters and their bios you feel as though you are getting a personal glimpse into each individual. I will certainly recommend this book to my fellow book lovers.
Some of my favorite A Letter to My Mom quotes
"Thank you, Mom, for not treating me differently-it has made me tough, independent, and ultimately happy. -Jennifer L. Arnold"
"You're so sweet to me because you hug me and kiss my scrapes. -Liam Cole"
"Above all else you have taught me that being a mother is a commitment, and once you are a mother, you are a mother for the rest of your days. -Christy Turlington Burns"
"I want to go to the ends of the earth and tell the world how amazing you are... -will.i.am"
*Note: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
I love that the contributors for this book are all different ages; some famous and some not. My favorite letter was actually by will.i.am. It was so sweet and worded perfectly that I wanted to copy it and send it to my mom! I could have gone through this book with a highlighter and marked everything I have ever wanted to tell my mom. As a matter of fact, this would be a great gift for the mother in your life.
At the end of the book there are short bios of each person that contributed to this book. By reading their letters and their bios you feel as though you are getting a personal glimpse into each individual. I will certainly recommend this book to my fellow book lovers.
Some of my favorite A Letter to My Mom quotes
"Thank you, Mom, for not treating me differently-it has made me tough, independent, and ultimately happy. -Jennifer L. Arnold"
"You're so sweet to me because you hug me and kiss my scrapes. -Liam Cole"
"Above all else you have taught me that being a mother is a commitment, and once you are a mother, you are a mother for the rest of your days. -Christy Turlington Burns"
"I want to go to the ends of the earth and tell the world how amazing you are... -will.i.am"
*Note: I received this book from Blogging for Books for this review.
August 27, 2015
I received this ARC for review purposes in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
A Letter To My Mom
Lisa Erspamer
Published April 7th 2015 by Crown Archetype
ARC, Ebook
Netgalley
2.5 stars
A Letter To My Mom was a good, sentimental, tear-jerker. I cried with some stories and laughed with others and the books influenced me to appreciate my mother that much more because of so many people having stories with their mother no longer being here. Anyone can be taken from this earth at any moment in time but especially once you become an adult yourself, your parents are already more than likely middle-aged or even older.
I'd like to think some stories affected me so deeply because I've finally gotten to the age where, like a few people writing letters in the book, I understand my parents parenting techniques, actually appreciate and like them.
Just in time for Mother's day, I plan to gift this to my mom and/or write a similar letter to her myself. Wonderful novel.
Reminds me alot of Chicken Soup for the Soul series (maybe because I'd get a good cry out of those too).
Alot of the book was just skimmed, hence the two and a ½ rating.
A Letter To My Mom
Lisa Erspamer
Published April 7th 2015 by Crown Archetype
ARC, Ebook
Netgalley
2.5 stars
A Letter To My Mom was a good, sentimental, tear-jerker. I cried with some stories and laughed with others and the books influenced me to appreciate my mother that much more because of so many people having stories with their mother no longer being here. Anyone can be taken from this earth at any moment in time but especially once you become an adult yourself, your parents are already more than likely middle-aged or even older.
I'd like to think some stories affected me so deeply because I've finally gotten to the age where, like a few people writing letters in the book, I understand my parents parenting techniques, actually appreciate and like them.
Just in time for Mother's day, I plan to gift this to my mom and/or write a similar letter to her myself. Wonderful novel.
Reminds me alot of Chicken Soup for the Soul series (maybe because I'd get a good cry out of those too).
Alot of the book was just skimmed, hence the two and a ½ rating.
May 11, 2015
This is the latest in the "A Letter to My" series written by Lisa Erspamer, and it is an absolute delight! Starting off with a letter to her own mother, Lisa has collected letters from celebrities, like Shania Twain, Suze Orman, Kelly Osbourne and Kristin Chenoweth, along with letters from regular everyday individuals. The awesome thing about all of these letters is that every single mother is anything but ordinary! They are all superstars, and their children express there love and gratitude for support and encouragement.
Some letters are filled with so much love, that I could not help but cry! They were so sweet!! My personal favorite letter was from a young woman named Annie who is currently a junior in college. In her letter she thanked her mother, Joy, for her courage. Courage that left Joy disabled but Annie and her siblings alive. This was an incredible act of heroism that is an everyday characteristic of a mother, and I was so touched to read Annie and Joy's story. I was truly humbled to read Annie and Joy's story of love, and it was only one of the amazing stories that filled this book!
This is a wonderful book, and will make a perfect gift for your mom, either for Mother's Day, birthdays, or just because days!
Some letters are filled with so much love, that I could not help but cry! They were so sweet!! My personal favorite letter was from a young woman named Annie who is currently a junior in college. In her letter she thanked her mother, Joy, for her courage. Courage that left Joy disabled but Annie and her siblings alive. This was an incredible act of heroism that is an everyday characteristic of a mother, and I was so touched to read Annie and Joy's story. I was truly humbled to read Annie and Joy's story of love, and it was only one of the amazing stories that filled this book!
This is a wonderful book, and will make a perfect gift for your mom, either for Mother's Day, birthdays, or just because days!
May 11, 2015
So many touching letters what will bring a smile to your face and tears to your eyes. A Letter to My Mom is the perfect way to celebrate the mom’s in your life this Mother’s Day. Each letter is so beautifully written & I loved that not only are there letters from celebrities, but some from everyday “normal” people as well. You’ll find letters written from all ages, from siblings to their mom, letters from adopted and biological children, and even a few letters written to moms who have passed away. The diversity of each letter is beautiful in it’s own unique way.
Be sure to have the tissues on standby and if you’re gifting this to your mom this Mother’s Day, you could even include a package of tissues for her and perhaps a letter of your own. A Letter to My Mom allows you to pause and remember just how much you love your mother. You’ll feel inspired and an overwhelming sense of pride and love for your mom once you’ve finished reading this.
Be sure to have the tissues on standby and if you’re gifting this to your mom this Mother’s Day, you could even include a package of tissues for her and perhaps a letter of your own. A Letter to My Mom allows you to pause and remember just how much you love your mother. You’ll feel inspired and an overwhelming sense of pride and love for your mom once you’ve finished reading this.
March 4, 2016
This was a cute little book. I'm new to the whole letter series and hadn't heard about them before but I picked this up for my mom as a gift and figured I'd read it before giving it to her. I have to admit, I cried twice. Two letters got to me but I can't remember the names (I'll look back and find which ones) but other than that most of them were just sweet, earnest letters to mothers. There's a blank space in the beginning for you to I assume fill out for yours which is a nice touch. A couple of celebs here and there, Kelly Osbourne probably having the nicest one of the bunch in my opinion, though thinking back I might not have noticed if someone was famous in there...but yeah, cute book.
May 10, 2015
A Letter to My Mom, curated by Lisa Erspamer, calls on a wide range of contributors to share their connections with their mothers. As you would expect, most of the letters are of praise and love. However, not all. I appreciate that reality. Mothers and children have very complex relationships, and I am glad that including the variety of letters acknowledges that. A lovely little gift just in time for Mother's Day.
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015...
Reviewed for the Blogging for Books program.
Read my complete review at: http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2015...
Reviewed for the Blogging for Books program.
May 17, 2015
I contributed a letter to my mother to this collection, shortly before she died last year. The concept is wonderful, writing to our parents, putting into words what we might otherwise not say aloud, keeping the tradition of letter writing vibrant.Lisa Erspamer and her team pulled together a thoughtful collection of letters from sons and daughters of all types of families, for whom their mother was core.
May 12, 2015
A Letter to My Mom was a heartfelt collection chronicling the appreciation of mothers. I found the mix of contributors to be diverse, but the message was the same: whether or not we were smart enough to respect the incredibly important role our mothers played in our lives when we were young, we definitely understand once we reach adulthood. I found the home photos to be a nice addition to the letters to each mother, and I know this would make the perfect gift for any mother at any time!
May 26, 2017
I’ve always enjoyed reading letter to other people. I’ve wanted to write a letter to my mom for a long time but I’ve always had an excuse to put it off. This book has inspired me to write this letter. I also loved all the pictures that came with each letter. This is a must have for anyone who loves their mother and wants to express it.
May 9, 2015
I got this book as a Mother's Day gift for my wonderful mom! I decided to read and annotate the book for her with thoughts about her and being her daughter! I even wrote her a letter on the end pages (the space provided was much to small)! I hope my mom enjoys it as much as I did!
July 12, 2015
Review and a letter to my own mom on my blog.
December 21, 2015
Sweet book, but by the end, felt that it was a bit monotonous.
January 16, 2016
A very touching compilation
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